Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Nurses make all the difference!

Today has been a long day for Kelly. She did pretty good with her chemo until the last hour or so. That is usually when it hits her. We did use the seeds again, but sometimes no matter what we do, it is impossible to avoid getting sick. But, as Kelly said herself today, " It could be much worse... it's not that bad." She also had a bad reaction to one of her anti-nausea meds. She gets a dose at the end of her treatment right before we go home. It is the one that makes her a little silly and a bit out of it. We use a wheelchair to get her to the car. (Thanks Trina!) Well, she had lots of fun with the wheelchair, especially while she waited for me to make her next appointments. But by the time we got to the car, she seemed more out of it than usual. As we drove out of the parking garage, she started noted all the things she was seeing two of. She had never experienced double vision before, and I was a little worried since that is not a good sign with a brain tumor patient, so I drove around the block and went right back to the clinic. Her nurse looked up the side effects of the last med they had given her, and double vision was one of them (along with all the other symptoms she was having.) She was also getting upset about being so confused. So at least we knew it was the medication. Now we know just to give her less next time so she doesn't have those reactions. She is comfortable in bed right now and hopefully will feel a lot better tomorrow. We sure learn along the way what works and what doesn't work.
I can't say enough about the nurses at the CHOC oncology clinic. They were just wonderful with her today (as usual.) Thanks so much Dana and Trina for making her day so much easier. She loves how these nurses spend time with her and make the day go faster. Welcome to CHOC, Trina, we are so glad you are here. And thanks to Dana, who came out to the car to check on Kelly when I was so worried about her and then called me when we got home to make sure she was OK. And Sarah, we're glad you came in for our weekly movie talk. Sometimes it is hard for Kelly to keep going back for these treatments and appointments, but she looks forward to seeing her nurses and that makes it easier to keep going back. The first photo below is Kelly and Dana. Below that is Kelly with Sarah.


Our girls have Spring Break next week! Since our family hasn't been away together for more than a day or two in a long time, we are going up to the mountains. We have a friend on our Relay for Life team who is letting us use her cabin. Thank you so much Marilyn! We are excited to get up there and have some relaxing time together. We do have to take Kelly to the clinic first next Monday morning. Her doctor wants to check her out, have her labs checked and make sure she is OK before we take her away for the rest of the week.

Relay for Life is April 19-20. There is still time to join us, donate or order a luminaria. Thank you so much to those of you that have joined us or made donations to the American Cancer Society through our Relay for Life Team.
TEAM KELLY page: http://main.acsevents.org/goto/kellylaude

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Kelly!

I hope you are feeling better by the time you read this and that you will be able to enjoy AI tonite. I won't give you any hints or clues :) It's nice that y'all will have the entire week together for family time during the next week - enjoy your trip and I hope tomorrow is a good day for you!

Hugs,

Pat

Anonymous said...

Wow, that was a hard day today Kelly. Glad you are at home resting now. Prayers for you!!

XOXO The Diemer Gang :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Kelly, So sorry that today wasn't one of your better days, but at least now you know why. I'm sure your mom was frantic for you!! You and your family are in my prayers, as usual. I pray you all will have a WONDERFUL time next week! Keep smiling...you have SUCH a lovely smile! Love, Patty J.

Anonymous said...

Hi Kelly -
I went to visit my friends daughter in the day hospital at CMH in Chicago. Everyday at 3pm - they play bingo. You turn to channel 14 and they announce over the intercom. If you win you have to dial 55555 to collect your prize. It is pretty fun. Sounds like you get to have some fun too.
Anything to help make the time pass.

Hope you are feeling better soon. Enjoy your weekend.

M-

Tracy said...

Hi kelly,
I'm continually impressed and amazed by all the wonderful people you have around you! Then I remember you're the kind of person that attracts wonderful people! Glad some of those great nurses could help you through a yucky yucky day! And I hope you are feeling much better now so you can get stronger and feeling really good for Spring Break!

Love & Hugs!...
Aunt Tracy

Anonymous said...

Dear Kelly,

The double vision must have been frightening. It's good to know that it's a side effect of one of the drugs they gave you.

I hope you are having some quiet time at home, and that you are feeling better.

Instead of bringing Tic Tacs to the chemo sessions, or in addition to the Tic Tacs, you might want to bring Titra-Lac. They are calcium carbonate antacid tablets from Australia, available over the counter at any drugstore, and they have a very strong spearmint flavor. I hope they work for you.

Henry

Catalina Eddy said...

Dear Shining Star,

It was a pleasure joining you for lunch. Hope you enjoyed the tacitos. I'm looking forward to the Relay For Life event. It's going to be a lot of fun in a gorgeous park. So many people are donating on your behalf that you're going to be an American Cancer Society fund raising superstar!
Love,
Catalina Eddy

Julie said...

Kelly,
I sounds like you had a really tough day yesterday. I hope you are feeling better today. I'm sure you will have a great time in the mountains next week. Something fun to look forward to.
I am thinking of you.
Julie L.

Aunt Jenny & Uncle Bob, Kylie and Ryan ie & Ryan said...

Hi Kelly!
Glad to hear you have some wonderful nurses! Yes, you are like a magnet because you attract great people! Sorry you had a rough day with your medications yesterday, but so glad your mom stuck around the clinic to find out what was causing all your symptoms!

A week in a mountain cabin sounds like just what you need--I bet you'll get lots of good ideas for your "cabin room" there!

We hope you're feeling much better today!!

Sending lots of hugs and love your way,
Aunt Jenny, Uncle Bob, Kylie and Ryan

Anonymous said...

Hi There Kelly.. Hi Kathy!
Oh Sure.. another trip to the cabin! I am totally Jealous!! But that's ok, I will get over it! I hope your going to have as much fun as humanly possible! I have been playing phone tag with Dr.'s today for Kasey. Just not feeling good and headaches that are unbearable. So.. we get to go to the hospital tomorrow! Hopefully we can get a grip on this situation. I am sorry to hear Kelly that you weren't feeling that great either after chemo. Cancer Sucks! But.. you will prevail! All this hard work will payoff! Keep the faith young warrior! Keep the faith.
Hope you have a good evening! Sending hugs and prayers for no more nausea.. however.. I thought your little drug overdose story was cute! Some people pay big money for effects like that! LOL
TTFN!
Amy.. kasey's mom

Deborah Smith said...

Kelly:

So sorry to hear you had a hard day. Hope you are feeling better. My thoughts and prayers are of you and your family.

Hope you are feeling better soon.

Love,
Deborah Smith

Anonymous said...

Easter Reflections
by : Helen Steiner Rice,
With OUR EYES we see
the beauty of Easter
as the earch awakens once more...
With OUR EARS we hear
the birds sing sweetly
to tell us Spring again is here...
With OUR HANDS we pick
the golden daffodils
and the fragrant hyacinths...
But only with OUR HEARTS
can we feel the MIRACLE of GOD'S LOVE
which redeems all men...
And only with OUR SOUL
can we make our 'pilgrimage to God'
and inherit His Easter Gift of ETERNAL LIFE.
I pray for a blessed Easter for your family

Anonymous said...

Hi Kelly,

I hope you're recovering nicely from your latest chemo and that you will have a happy Easter.

I imagine your temperatures are far more spring-like than ours. It's chilly, cloudy, and blustery here. We have a few crocuses in bloom, but that's about it. Even the forsythia is holding back, and it usually braves the chill.

I've been watching your thermometer with interest. It's doing well. Are you sure you're not available to be Secretary of the Treasury? I think you'd do a splendid job.

While you mull that one over, I hope that you and your family have a happy, blessed Easter.

Henry